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Parodies and Appearances (WWTBAM/U.S. version)
The success of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (U.S. version) has provided plenty of opportunities for various shows and movies to parody or have their characters make appearances on Millionaire as a (sub)plot. Parodies ''Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth'' In this Nintendo DS, Android & iOS video game from 2009 by Capcom, while being interrogated by protagonist Miles Edgeworth, the smuggling ring leader establishes an alibi by stating that he was watching a play at the king of a killing. Upon noticing a contradiction in their statements, Edgeworth states "The special move today part of the play was the 'Early Summer Rain Jab', Is That Your Final Answer?', in reference to the shows' catchphrase. ''The Amanda Show'' The recurring skit of the show was called "So You Wanna Win Five Dollars" hosted by Tina (Amanda Bynes) the contestant (usually a character from another recurring skit on the show) who isn't very bright, has to answer three questions along with the final question being only worth $5.00. ''The Assistant'' In the episode "Welcome to the Assistant, Now Go Home", had a spoof a Millionaire as Who Wants to be Andy's Assistant? (mostly referring to Andy Dick). ''Between the Lions'' In the episode "Hay Day", a troll charges Lionel, Leona, and Fay their belongings to help Fay spin two rooms of hay to gold. However, he agrees to return everything if they guess his name by day's end. At the end of the day, Fay plays a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire spoof with the four choices being A: Rumpelmeyers, B: Rupertpupkin, C: Regisphilbin and D: Rumpelstiltskin. After some thinking, she goes for D, which is correct, much to the troll's disappointment. Ray then thanks Lionel, Leona and Gus, who had figured it out and told her beforehand, for helping her and says, "You were my lifelines." ''The Big Cartoonie Show'' This Kids WB show had its own spoof called Who Wants to be a Millooneyaire?. ''Cartoon Network'' In this commercial for The Powerpuff Girls (1998 version), Mojo Jojo is sitting in the Hot Seat when he is trying to answer a question. He decides to call someone with Phone a Friend. The Powerpuff Girls are sitting back at home watching Mojo as Blossom says "Jeez Luis! Can You Believe This Guy?" The Buttercup says "About Time Already, for Cryin' Out Loud!" former host Regis Philbin made an off-camera appearance. Disney The Disney website once featured a game called Who Wants to be a Villionaire? which contains games that were hosted by famous Disney villains (i.e. Cruella DeVil from 101 Dalmatians, Captain Hook from Peter Pan, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Gaston from Beauty & the Beast, Jafar from Aladdin and Scar from The Lion King). While the gameplay is exactly like the original online game. the lifelines differ just slightly: 50:50 and Ask the Audience remains the same, but Phone a Friend is replaced with Phone a Fiend (in order to reflect the games' main theme in particular) with the Cruella DeVil as the "fiend". The milestones are referred to as "Gravestones" (also as a reflection of the games' main theme). ''Friends of the People'' This was spoofed as a "million-dollar game show heist" host of Cash Cab Ben Bailey briefly makes an on-camera appearance. ''Futurama'' In the 2010 episode "The Duh-Vinci Code", Philip J. Fry (voiced by Billy West) appears as a contestant on the parody of this show called "Who Dares to Be a Millionaire?" hosted by Morbo (voiced by Maurice Lamarche) but misses on the first question as Professor Farnsworth (also voiced by West) berates him for his stupidity. ''Let's Make a Deal'' (Brady) This had a recurring mini-game called Who Wants to Answer Multiple-Choice Questions for Cash and Prizes? where contestants have to answer three general knowledge multiple choice questions for cash. Each question contained three answers. When contestants were to confirm their responses, Brady would ask "Is that your definitive response?" (similar to "Is that your final answer?" on Millionaire) Each correct response was worth $500. However, choosing a wrong answer at any time automatically ended the question round. Afterward, contestants could risk the cash on one of two curtains in hopes of winning a bigger prize (usually a car). ''The Lion King 1 1/2'' In the DVD, there is a special featured game called Who Wants to Be King of the Jungle? while the format is very similar to the regular gameplay of Millionaire, the questions are shortened to ten instead of fifteen. There are two lifelines that are different in this version as well. The 50:50 lifeline stays the same. The two different lifelines are "Poll the Herd" (Ask the Audience) and "Phone-an-Animal" (Phone-a-Friend). The viewer plays as Timon trying to help him be "King of the Jungle". Also, Timon plays for grub not cash. Former host Meredith Vieira does make an appearance as host in this special feature. The questions are Lion King related. Pumba also makes an appearance. One of the Phone-an-Animal (Phone-a-Friend) choices is Pumba (despite Meredith saying you can call any animal if you're stuck on a question) as you win food (in the case "grubs") instead of cash. ''MAD TV'' The original one spoofed as a "Celebrity Edition" then as "Who Wants to be President?" as then as a "Lorraine" skit on the show. Hqdefault-3.jpg Mad_TV_WWTBTP.png Maxresdefault (5).jpg ''Pookie Poo'' The internet cartoon of the late '90s had a spoof of Millionaire where the self-titled main character appears on the show. ''Saturday Night Live'' It was parody as its original title then as Who Wants to Eat? with Darrell Hammond as Regis Philbin. It was also parody featuring that week's sub-host Steve Harvey portrayed by Kenan Thompson. ''Sleep Now in the Fire'' This was in the 1999 music video from the political rock band Rage Against the Machine. Here it was called Who Wants to be Filthy F#&%ing Rich? where contestants matched answers to the band's political theme, usually with the contestants getting it wrong. Towards the end of the video, a homeless man answers the presumed question correctly and handing back the money being given to him, the contestant storms the stage as he tosses the money in the air. ''Slumdog Millionaire This British-Indian theme movie from 2008 features an Indian man named Jamal Malik (Dev Patel, Tanay Chheeda a teenager then Ayush Mahesh Khedaekar a child respectively) trying to win 10 rupees, but before he can do such a thing, he has to go on one big journey. ''Studio C In a 2013 episode, the show was parodied in the Millionaire segment. ''Veronica'' A 2000 issue of the Archie Comics spinoff, parodied the show (mainly the front cover) as Who Wants to Win a Million Bucks? ''Who Let the Dogs Out? ''Millionaire was given a brief homage in the famous 2000 music video by Baha Men. It was featured in the beginning of the video just before the song starts. The security guard was watching the show on TV as the question was "Who Let the Dogs Out?". ''Who Wants to Beat Up a Millionaire? A PC-CD ROM and Sega Dreamcast video game was released in 2000 by Simon & Schuster Interactive. 51W93X4CF6L.jpg Who Wants to Beat Up a Millionaire front cover (Sega Dreamcast).jpg ''Who Wants to Be a Chamillionaire? In 2008, a hip hop style online cartoon parodied the show hosted by one-hit-wonder rapper Chamillionaire. ''You Don't Know Jack'' In the first episode, Troy Stevens (played by Paul Reubens) gets a call from former host Regis Philbin on tips on how to be a good game show host. Later another episode parodied the title as Who Wants to Marry a Farm Animal?. Appearances ''Celebrity Deathmatch'' In the 2000 episode called "Johnny & Debbie ...in Love?", a fight between former host Regis Philbin where he tries to dispatch Chuck Woolery (who was representing Greed at the time) in the segment called "Who Wants to be a dead game show host?". ''Family Guy'' In the 2016 episode "Road to India", Brain Griffin (voiced by Seth McFarlane) becomes a contestant on the India version called Kaun Banega Crorepati. ''Fresh Off the Boat'' In the 2019 episode called "Lou Wants to Be a Millionaire" (the episode title is a reference to the show itself), where Louis Huang (played by Randall Park) scores a spot on the show as a contestant, former host Regis Philbin makes a cameo appearance in the episode. ''GSN'' In 2006, Millionaire was ranked #5 as one of The 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time. This special was hosted by Bil Dwyer. ''High Society'' A song for the 1956 film was also called Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? written by Cole Porter where it was introduced by Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm although it has nothing to do with the show at all. ''Oochie Wally'' In the 2001 rap song, Nas claims that its "Sort of like the game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", But my name ain't "Regis". ''Robot Chicken'' In the 2007 episode called "Robot Chicken's Half-Assed Christmas Special", Hermey the Elf was a contestant on Millionaire. ''Spin City'' In the 1999 episode "How to Bury a Millionaire", Paul Lassiter (played by Richard Kind) is a contestant on the show and ends up winning the million dollars at the end. Former host Regis Philbin makes a cameo appearance in the episode. ''The Sopranos'' In the 2002 episode "The Weight", Both Tony (played by the late James Gandolfini) and Junior (Dominic Chianese) Soprano watches a contestant blows his $1,000 question and Junior comments on how the "poor prick" used up all of his lifelines. The contestant was Sal Mecca. ''Through the Wire'' In the 2003 rap song by Kanye West, West references the show's title and lifelines by claiming that he's "Trying to be a Millionaire, How I use two lifelines". ''TV Guide'' In 2001, the magazine ranked Millionaire #7 as one of The 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time. Prior to this, Millionaire was ranked #6 as one of The 60 Greatest Game Shows of All Time in 2013. ''Wheel of Fortune'' In the episode that aired on September 18, 2001, one of the puzzles was "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" under the category of "Title". After contestant Cindy Pollard solves it, Pat Sajak comments on the lack of a question mark in spite of Jeopardy! having an exclamation point. Category:Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (U.S. version) Category:Fiction